Bear put down by NDOW sent to taxidermist

A mother black bear and her male cub inside a bear trap at the Nevada Department of Wildlife Monday Oct. 28, 2013. The mother bear and two cubs were trapped in west Reno then processed at NDOW on Monday and were released today. Marilyn Newton/RGJ

This week, three bears — a mother and two cubs — were caught in west Reno off Mayberry Drive and released back into the wild by the Nevada Department of Wildlife. Another bear — a male caught by NDOW in Incline Village after breaking into a house twice — was killed Monday night.

Mostly Dogs asked NDOW's Chris Healy what happened to the body because sometimes the meat is donated to shelters.

Healy responded:

When we tranquilize, we do not utilize the meat because of the drugs involved. The animal was taken to a taxidermist for proper handling. We can go two ways at that point. We can use the hide for educational purposes or we can sell it at the annual fur sale. That decision would not yet be made. …

As you know, roadkill cannot be utilized in Nevada and most dead animals that we and NDOW see are roadkill. I know some states allow the use of roadkill, we do not.

You can read press releases on the three bears here and the one bear here.